Authorities in Coventry have confiscated thousands of teeth whitening kits that contain dangerous levels of hydrogen peroxide; the products were found to be 33% peroxide, which is 300% over the legal limit for home whitening kits.
Dentists have warned that counterfeit products can be very bad for the health, possibly leading to stomach problems, infections, and toothache. Officers with Warwickshire Trading Standards and UK Border Force worked together to stop the imported kits – which had an estimated worth of around £100,000 – being sold to the public or unregistered practitioners. The seized products will be destroyed.
Councillor John Horner, spokesperson for community safety at Warwickshire County Council, spoke to Coventry Telegraph about the seizure, saying that they are ‘increasingly finding that many small businesses import their stock direct from suppliers outside Europe’ which puts them at risk of accidentally purchasing counterfeit products which can be dangerous for patients.
Philip Johnson, chair of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee, added that the joint operation would continue to work to stop dangerous products from reaching the shelves and protect the general public.